Oh! Teacher

Meghan Pearson

Yellow Pear Designs

Graphic Design • Illustration • Fine Art • Instruction

Bio:

Meghan Pearson grew up with a love of art, first scribbling in coloring books, then moving on to filling sketchbooks with pencil drawings. A Florida native, she studied at Ringling College (School) of Art and Design in Sarasota where traditional drawing and painting were her favorite subjects.

With her degree in Illustration and a love for handmade, sentimental items, she was chosen by Hallmark Cards for an internship in the summer of 2004. Before graduation the following year, she received a full-time position as a Line Designer/Art Director at American Greetings at their Cleveland, Ohio headquarters. Upon moving back to Florida in 2009, she joined the faculty at the AutoNation Academy of Art + Design at the Museum of Art|Fort Lauderdale (now the NSU Art Museum) where she worked for four years, becoming the Chair of Graphic Design, and designing much of the Academy’s and Museum’s digital and print work.

In 2010, she started her own business, Yellow Pear Designs, to focus on freelance and contract work. She currently runs a full-service design agency in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, area. Design and photography have since become her prevalent forms of creative expression, though she still enjoys the opportunity to draw and paint.

That love of drawing and painting and a yearning to share her passion with others brought her back into art instruction in 2023. She has been enjoying her new studio in Wilton Manors and the opportunity to teach again!

I have a passion for opening people’s eyes to the world around them, helping them see and experience things differently, framed through the lens of art and color.

I feel alive when I can make a breakthrough with a student and get them to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. Seeing students of all ages watch their artwork come to life with new technical skills or art techniques is a joy like no other. Being able to inspire someone to create is magical.

Art enhances everyone’s lives—not just by viewing it, but by making it. Creative exploration increases problem-solving skills and creative thinking both in and out of the art studio and leads to happier, more fulfilling lives. Every single person can create at least one thing they can be proud of. Don’t believe me? Let me teach you.

The works featured here are available for purchase directly through the Artist. The Artist makes 100% of the profit of the sale of the artwork, so this is a great time to support them while enhancing your art collection. The artist will directly pack and ship the product to you. All works are original and signed by the artist!

For more information on these featured artworks, email

Meghan yellowpeardesigns@gmail.com

Let’s start with your story, we would like to know about your journey has been so far, and hear how you got started.

I started drawing at a young age and always loved art. I never thought much of it as a career until my high school art teacher informed me that I WOULD be applying to art schools for college and not becoming a math teacher like I was leaning toward. A trip to the Miami National Portfolio Day and some visits from recruiters completely changed the trajectory of my life, and before I knew it, I was accepted to some of the best art schools in the country. I ultimately chose to attend Ringling School of Art + Design, majoring in Illustration and creating anything and everything I could, including some handmade greeting cards with hand-cut paper and mixed media elements.

My professional career brought me further into the world of greeting card design, learning to paint cute critters like my mentor Karla Firehammer at Hallmark, and art directing entire lines of product for various holidays and occasions at American Greetings.

After almost 5 years away from home, I decided to move back to South Florida and began teaching at the NSU Art Museum’s art academy. I then started my own business, running my an art studio in downtown Oakland Park, which I closed after 5 years to have my son. Now that he’s 5, I decided it was time to open a studio again and here we are!

What is something you had to put off because of the pandemic that you have recently done or is on your list to do soon?

I put my studio and teaching on hold and I really didn’t realize how important both are to my overall well-being and mental health. It’s been a lot of work to reopen and advertise my offerings, but I’ve met some wonderful new students that have become instant friends, and it has renewed the excitement and joy in my spirit.

What does your art future hold for you?

I’ve been exploring different media and styles, and am looking for a direction that integrates all my favorite media while capturing my essence. I think I’m becoming more confident that still life paintings are still a relevant and valid subject, and may try to figure out a way to make them more unique. I’m also looking to focus more on my fine art and enter a few more shows this year!

Artists are always bombarded by how great it is to pursue their passion etc., but we know from a lot of people that it is not always that easy. Overall would you say things have gotten better for you as an artist in South Florida?

It definitely is not that easy! People underestimate the amount of work it takes not only on the creative side but in being creative and trying to run a business. In addition to creating art, you also have to know how to photograph it, market it, find your market and target audience, submit to shows, reproduce artwork for selling prints and products, license your artwork, engage on social media and build a community, manage your inventory, package and ship, take care of bookkeeping, do your taxes, write up contracts, build a website, and on and on—it’s exhausting!

Luckily here in South Florida, there are lots of artist groups that provide calls to artists, allow for networking, artist listings, and opportunities to show your work. It’s hard to put yourself out there, but once you get out there it really picks up momentum. And it doesn’t feel like there’s too much gatekeeping, which is nice. So many of the groups and people I’ve worked with or alongside have been so supportive and collaborative. It’s really invigorating to be part of such a vibrant art community.

As you know I am impressed with your work, tell our readers more for example. What are you most proud of, and what sets you apart from others?

When I used to create, I was more of a renderer and would pride myself on creating realistic representations of what I saw. Once I had my son and saw how important process is, I’ve been able to let go of that perfectionism and explore mark making and expression a bit more. It’s allowed me to continue to widen the breadth of my work and offerings, and am comfortable and confident in creating in a wide variety of media. Unfortunately it means I don’t have one unique style, but I do like being able to create almost anything that comes to me at any given moment!

How do you keep motivated?

With the drudgery of life and the day-to-day demands, it can be hard to stay motivated. To a certain extent, I utilize social media for inspiration since it’s made it so much easier to stay on top of trends, as well as view work from up-and-coming artists from all over the world. However it’s also difficult sometimes to separate yourself and not let the impostor syndrome take over. I am highly neurodivergent, and in the time that my studio was closed and, especially during the pandemic, I realized that I really needed to be around people to stay motivated, as I love sharing ideas and working collaboratively. Opening the studio again has been so good for me as I’m often inspired by my students to create new pieces that I otherwise wouldn’t.

Name a famous artist that inspires you and one not yet famous artist you would like the readers to know about.

It’s hard to choose a favorite, as I have favorite things about so many artists! Vermeer’s narrative scenes, Van Gogh’s impasto technique and use of color, Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro, Da Vinci’s notebooks, Michaelangelo’s studies, Bernini’s marble sculptures, Picasso’s design sense, Cezanne’s still lifes, Giacometti’s figures, Augusta Savage’s lifelike human forms, Louise Nevelson’s monochromatic installations. I also very much enjoy contemporary artist Carol Marine’s (https://www.carolmarine.com/) still life paintings. She has a fabulous sense of color and composition, and her paintings are beautiful in their simplicity.

An artist I love that is not yet famous, though she has a very strong following, is Heather Ihn Martin (https://www.heatherihnart.com/). We went to school together and I just love that she’s gotten back into painting, and she’s prolific! I own several of her paintings, sticker sheets, and calendars. Her paintings are gorgeous and she shares a wealth of knowledge on social media!

Is there a current or upcoming show or exhibit you want to let people know about?

I am hosting the Grand Opening of my new studio on Monday, December 11th! It will be an open house from 6:00–8:00 PM, featuring a Student Art Show and a showcase of some of my work and demos.

My next show after that will most likely be artsquare12x12.2024 curated by Wilton Art® and held at Pride Corner Art & Frame, opening on Friday, February 2, 2024. It’s a great show for every artist to enter, and attracts a lot of local collectors.

What inspires you to be an artist and what inspiration can you pass on to others?

I would have to say that the inspiration behind it all is in inspiring and collaborating with others. One of my favorite things is to share what I’m creating and show others that they can do it too! I really love trying to connect with someone in the way that they learn. Maybe the first way I show you doesn’t connect with your brain, but I will reframe it and find a way that does. It makes me so happy to see someone surprise themselves with what they can create!

How are you giving back to your community?

I do a lot of volunteer work in Wilton Manors, having served as a judge at the Halloween Spooktacular costume contest for many years, being a founding and long-time member of the City’s Environmental and Sustainability Volunteer Group, co-organizing the annual Tree Giveaway, curating and hosting the annual Nature-in-Art Photography Contest at Art Gallery 21, serving on the board of Wilton Art® for three years, being a member of the Island City Art Advisory Committee, and serving as a judge for the Westside Association’s Winter Wonders House Decorating Contest. I also donated my services to design the logo and branding for Wilton Art®, as well as for the ESG, ICAAC and the Winter Wonders contest.

I was honored with the Skip Stadnik Community Spirit Individual Volunteer of the Year award for my 2018 service, and was nominated by Vice Mayor Paul Rolli to be honored for Women’s History Month in March 2021.

My next big project with the City will be a new mural on the Powerline Road bridge over the North Fork of the Middle River coming this winter.

Is there anyone in particular you would like to mention, mentors, etc.? Firstly, of course, I must recognize my fiancé for his unwavering support over the years, as well as his helping me to continue to push myself, and our son without whom I would not have overcome my crippling perfectionism.

The people that have had such a huge impact on my career, and more importantly, my self worth, are my former manager Robin Kirner, my business mentor Cheryl Woodhouse, my friend and student Nancy Goldwin (who is a wonderful photographer, screenprinter, and entrepreneur), and my friend and landlord Rachel Henriques Hartley (an amazing and creative artist) who sublets my studio space!

And I am so lucky to know and be surrounded by so many amazing artists and illustrators like Dan Liuzzi, Claire Mojher DeLucca, John DeLucca, Julia Kuo, Emily Dove Gross, Duncan Barton, Chris Hsu, Ali Kurzeja, Claire Teschel Konishi, Chris Ryniak, and Amanda Spayd.

Let’s end with a fun fact about you.

I created the design for Wilton Manors’ Rainbow Bridge!

Several of my photographs are featured on Wilton Manors’ utility boxes!

I am an avid birder! I love to look for migratory birds and enjoy the challenge of photographing them.

I have proclamation from the City of Wilton Manors that April 27, 2019 has been declared as Meghan Pearson Day!

I have designed hundreds of greeting cards for American Greetings, including many with lights, sound and music, and pop-ups!